Lately at So You Think You Can Write we’ve been all about bad boys and anti-heroes. Love him or hate him, the bad boy hero is a perennial favourite for romance readers.
So this week’s writing challenge is short and sweet: Give us your bad boy hero’s opening line to the heroine. Sweet, sexy, funny, or dangerously daring – it’s up to you. No description, context, dialogue or backstory, please—one line should say it all!
Post your bad boy’s opening line in the comments any time between now and Sunday, October 29, 2017, and we’ll pick our Top Three on Monday, October 30!
91 replies on “#WritingChallenge: What’s your bad boy hero’s opening line?”
“The Post was supposed to send a pompous asshole with a soul patch, dark glasses and a hat. You don’t have a hat.”
I <3 this so much
LOVE this, Anne. 🙂
“Look, Naomi, I’m just gonna ignore the fact you came banging on my door with accusations and tell you something. If I find out who scratched you from the bronco event, I’ll thank him. The rodeo is no place for a woman, so go home.”
Great job! 🙂
Thanks!
“Not supposed to kick the guy in his nuts. Where is this so-called gun?”
Very intriguing, Chrissie. Makes you want to read more. 🙂
“I really should not be allowed the opportunity to breed.”
LOLOL loved it !!!
Love! Love! Love this, Kimber Li! 🙂
I am loving these already!
“I’m waiting for a bad girl. You look like you might do.”
Wow, Ivy! An anti-heroine and an anti-hero. LOVE this! 🙂
You want civilized, find someone else.
Just the type of hero I love. 🙂
“You’re overheating.”
“Riley James, one day, you will find the woman of your dreams,” my mother used to tell me when I was growing up. Suffice to say, she was right. Yeah, don’t ever tell her I admitted that truth. But, she was indeed right. I did find the woman of my dreams. Sadly, that woman never paid attention to me in a romantic way. But oh, did I watch her.
Very intriguing. 🙂
“That’s my ride over there. It’s full of gas and headed towards trouble. Wanna ride?”
Love this! Great job. 🙂
If you want to make it out of here alive as much as I want to get paid, keep your mouth closed and your feet moving.
I love this, Kate!
NICE
Brilliantly done, Kate. 🙂
Oh, I really liked this!
😀 Thank you ladies.
She must have watched him come out of his room and stumble over to the banister, fighting the urge to hurl… ‘Smooth’ Trevor admonished himself, “I’m sorry, you startled me. I thought I was alone.” Trevor said breaking the spell.
She must have watched him come out of his room and stumble over to the banister, fighting the urge to hurl… ‘Smooth’ Trevor admonished himself. “I’m sorry, you startled me. I thought I was alone.” He said breaking the spell with a grin.
The second one is better. Plus I said Trevor twice in the first. It’s from a WIP so I haven’t edited yet.
Nicely done. 🙂
“Look lady, if you hadn’t surprised me as I was swinging the hammer, the TV would still be on the damn wall!”
The description is great and funny.
LOVE this and the imagery it creates! 🙂
I love humour in a story! Great job!
“Your fiance’s loss is my gain,” Nik murmured in his deep tempting voice, lips just a breath away from hers.
Love a hero that can make your heart beat faster. 🙂
“That’s big talk for a tiny woman, can you back your words up with actions?”
LOVE your hero, Yvonne! 🙂
“Well, well. Who do I find outside my hotel suite door at midnight? Cinderella or Little Red Riding Hood? You pick, darling.”
Great job! 🙂
“If it’s a winner you’re looking for, I’m the one that’ll take you to the finish line first, baby.”
LOVE this, Rebecca! 🙂
Thanks
You know how to fix that back pain? Head to the doctors and get a shot of B A man.
Nicely done, Kim. 🙂
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
Nice job. Piques your curiosity. 🙂
“You’re not what I expected, but you’ll do.”
Love this. 🙂
“Sweetheart, we’ve played this game before and you know how it ends.”
Great job, Isabella. 🙂
Thank you, Calida!
“Should I undo each button or just tear it off you.”
LOVE your hero, Karen! Fab job. 🙂
This is so good. I like him already.
I want you to always want me; I don’t want you to ever push me away or say no to me.
There is something quite moving about this line. Instantly draws me to your hero and makes me wonder what has gone on in his life. Great job. 🙂
“That’s pretty ballsy of you, but I don’t think you’ve got what it takes to pull it off.”
I so love your hero, Maurine! 🙂
I really like this! Caught my attention right away.
Call me old fashioned, I like my woman in the kitchen and the bedroom. But I’m prepared to take you right here in the hall if that’s what you want.
FANTASTIC as always, Fiona! You have an artistry with words that makes characters leap to life. I also love the characters you write too. Always such a pleasure to read your works, Fiona. 🙂
Love it, Fiona! I wanted to keep on reading!
“My immorality is my morality, sweetheart.”
Instantly intrigued
Me too! 🙂
This definitely caught my attention. I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen!
Oh, wow. Sock off!
So intrigued!
Thank you so much Fiona, Isabella, Tambra, Ivy and Yvonne! 🙂 xoxoxo
Get that dress off, Cathy, and chuck it in the bin. White was never your colour. And we both know I’m never going to let you marry that loser. Not today. Not ever.
Nice job, Sophia. 🙂
Bad Boy Hero Opening Line from my contemporary Paranormal Romance:
Grant Robert MacGregor and Death were on a first name basis.
Oooh!
Fiona,
Thank you! I love your writing and your interest gave me such a writing energy boost.
Love this Tambra! With only a few words you have portrayed your hero in a very impactful way. Great job! 🙂
“Step away or sit back down, but don’t even think about trying that again. Understand?”
“I find it impossible to be impartial when I’m working alongside a beautiful woman.”
‘You have three seconds to apologise to the lady.’
Ohhh, a man of action! Love it.
Huh, you don’t look like the type of woman who could make such a multitude of enemies in such a short time.
I really liked this. I wanted to know what happened for him to say that and what she looked like. I sensed tension. Yes!
Thanks, Tambra!
“Little Bo Peep,” the man yelled across the dance floor, “over here.” Jenny swiveled her eyes to take him in. She had noticed him before.
“Leave those lambs alone,” he said, “they’ll come home later.”
“Yeah,” she thought, “wagging their tails behind them.” That didn’t seem likely with this guy, but it was Halloween and BP carried a big stick, she realized with a giggle.
“Little Bo Peep,” the man yelled across the dance floor, “over here.”
“Little Bo Peep, over here!”
Line 1: Tick tock goes the clock. The mouse is out of time.
Line 2: you moaning like that makes me wonder what’ll make you scream my name.
I will hunt you Ariel; I will hunt you until I find a way to bridge the gap that divides us.
These were all fabulous! Find out top picks here. http://www.writeforharlequin.com/2017/10/writing-challenge-results-our-top-3-opening-lines/
Comments ( 7 )
I spent the entire shutdown working. Had no time to wind down. I didn’t see my son much when school shutdown. My one co worker was told to stay home for 3 weeks so I picked up her hours. This year has been really crappy.
Ugh, Janell. Here’s hoping the rest of your summer is better.
Thanks for the info, Carol! Everyone is different in how they deal with the shutdown! I stay at home all the time since I don’t work so I haven’t been too effected but my shopping and errands sure have been effected!
Valri, I’ve been doing most of my shopping online. My local Target is still low on some items – mostly cleaning supplies. Grocery store is pretty much back to normal. Most of the dining in our town is outdoor. I can’t imagine have school-age kids!
Wow–getting your creative process on track must have been daunting–especially with “extra-large dog” glad to have you home. You don’t like coffee–I love coffee and have enjoyed my fortifying 2 cups in the morning even more than usual! How as COVID affected your story lines and characterizations? Best Wishes for all releases!
Interesting question, Virginia. You’ll have to tell me if the tone of my “COVID” books changed any! LOL
Life has changed so much! My dad passed Feb 2. The assisted living facility my folks were at went into hardcore lockdown the beginning of March. Mom couldn’t leave her apartment for 4 months! She was on the third floor, Will be 89 in two months & doesn’t use the phone. My husband and I remodeled the lower level completely and moved her in with us July 1. What a life change and difficult transition for the 3 of us! But we’re working thru it!